Waiting
by Shinsou
Summary: Chapter 4 Up! Vincent, I’ve waited thirty years to tell you something…
1. The Beginning

Well, I've been away quite awhile. Now this story is about Vincent and a made up chicky. And I haven't played FF7 in YEARS because my PS2 hates it now. So--some of thing is, yes, most likely off. lol So...sorry about that. So um...hope you enjoy my story. And since it's already finished, I'll be uploading chapter probably every week--as long as I remember. But I promise they'll be up! And just to let you all know. I kind of plugged in people that weren't supposed to be there until Cloud's time, but hey, my character needed someone to talk to. lol Now onto the story!

**Chapter 1: The Beginning**

Zale was sitting in the meeting room. Tseng was blabbering on about something. She twirled her black hair in her fingers, yawning a bit. She glanced over to the side to see Reno scribbling on the table they sat at. She laughed some. He always did that. These meetings were really not important. They would be briefed again and again before they started whatever they were assigned to, so it was just flat out pointless. Rude, elbowed Reno hard in the arm. For some reason he always paid attention.  
"Now, I would like to introduce you to a new member." That was all that caught Zale's ear. She looked up, her bright lime green eyes zeroed in on a young man that nervously made his way next to Tseng. "This is Vincent Valentine." The young man with shoulder length black hair gave a small smile and a wave. Zale all of a sudden was paying attention.  
"Well, well, looks like the new guy caught your attention there, Zale." Reno said, chuckling some.  
"Shut up." She said, not taking her eyes off of Vincent. She secretly hoped he would come sit by them.

When the meeting had ended, Zale walked out of the room with Reno and Rude. She sighed, he had ended up sitting somewhere else. But Reno, seeing this, smiled somewhat evilly and turned around.  
"Hey Vincent, come here."

Zale's eyes widened and she went to slap Reno in the arm, but she stopped when she saw Vincent coming closer from the corner of her eye.  
"Yes, sir?" He asked. Ah, the joys of being newly recruited…being at the bottom of the pile, and having to call someone like Reno, 'sir'.  
"Meet Zale here." Reno said, giving her a good shove. Zale froze up as Vincent extended his hand and smiled. Nervously, she shook his hand, hoping her hand wasn't doused in a anxious sweat.  
"Nice to meet you, ma'am."  
"Same to you." She said, in a small voice.  
"Well, come on their Juliet." Reno grabbed her and pulled her down the hall.

"Juliet?" Zale slapped Reno in the arm. "Reno, I swear I could kill you." She said, through gritted teeth.  
"Oh, don't worry, I doubt he got it anyway."

Rude was off to the side, slightly laughing at the beating Reno was receiving. Zale sat down in a chair and sighed.  
"Zale, you should request to be his superior." Reno said, rubbing his arm, that most likely had a bruise forming on it.  
"I can't just DO that." She said.  
"Well, you like him."  
"I don't LIKE him, I just met him. He's just attractive."  
"And I'm not?" Reno said, striking a pose, his low ponytail swooshing around his midsection. Zale rolled her eyes.  
"Yes, Reno you are." She made sure her statement was dripping with sarcasm. Reno's frowned somewhat. Zale smiled, while she may have passed it off like Reno wasn't cute, it was a lie, he really was. He had pretty light red hair that looked like it was mixed with a bit of orange and he had pretty eyes. She shook her head and stared down at some paperwork that was laying on the table.  
"Well…" He started, but then Rufus walked in.  
"Reno, Rude, Zale." he said, giving each a nod.  
"Boss." They said. Zale stood quickly.  
"Boss, can I make a request." Reno asked.  
"Go ahead." Rufus said, taking the seat Zale had been sitting in.  
"You know that new guy Vincent?"

Zale felt her throat tighten. He wasn't going to…  
"Yes." Rufus answered.  
"Well, I was wondering if you could make Zale his superior."

Rufus looked from Reno to Zale, and saw Zale giving Reno a death glare.  
"Hmm, yes. I suppose I could. Zale would that be alright with you?"

She stopped glaring and turned toward her boss.  
"Yes, sir." She said.  
"Then consider it done. I'll get you his file." And he rose and left the room.  
"Reno! I hate you!" She called as soon as the door clicked shut.  
"What? I was doing you a favor!"  
Zale just glared at him.

A few moments later, the door opened back up and Rufus handed her a file.  
"Everything you need to know about him."  
"Thank you sir. I'll review it right away." Zale slid into a chair and opened the file. Six foot, A blood type. Birthday, October 13th. And more information than you could shake a stick at. She shut the top of the file and turned her attention back to Rufus, Reno and Rude. However, they weren't including her in their Whisper-athon. She was used to it anyway. She was as high in rank as the two, but she hadn't been there as long and felt as if, sometimes she wasn't trusted as much as them. Reno and Rude nodded and left the room, with Rufus. She sighed and peeked back at the folder. What a nice photo they had taken of him. Zale smiled some to herself.

After collecting the file, she took the elevator to the 48th floor of the Shin-Ra building. The 50th being Rufus' office. Zale sighed, she basically lived at the Shin-Ra building. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. She walked out and an onslaught of desks came into view. She grumbled something and trekked her way to her own. She was going to contact Vincent, tell him that she was the one he would be answering to. That should be fun.

Sitting at her desk she flopped the folder down and picked up the phone. She hit 8762#. It connected her to the room where the newly recruited were awaiting to hear who their superiors were, and what their first assignments were to be. When the phone was answered their was a clatter of noise in the background and a harsh: "SHUT THE HELL UP!" Coming from whoever answered. It quieted and she heard:  
"Yes, who is calling?"  
"Zale Kilsu." She answered. "Let me speak to Mr. Vincent Valentine." She said.  
"Yes, ma'am one moment please." She tapped a pen on his file, waiting to hear his voice on the other line. It must have taken awhile to find him, they did recently recruit about twenty five new Turks within the week, and 99 of them still didn't have a superior.  
"Hello? Ms. Kilsu?"

Finally she thought.  
"Yes, Mr. Valentine. I was just calling to inform you that I will be your superior. And to report to me tomorrow morning to get your first assignment." She tried to keep her voice from shaking.  
"Yes, ma'am. What time?"  
"9:30. Don't be late, I dislike it when people arrive late."  
"Yes, ma'am." He said.  
"Good, see you tomorrow then." And she hung up. What a weight to be lifted off her shoulders. She slumped backwards in her chair. Now tomorrow morning he was going to be there, standing right in front of her desk. Waiting patiently for his assignment--and she didn't even have one. Why had she brought up assignments? She opened one of the filing cabinets to the right of her. She searched through papers. There had to be something to give him to do. She didn't want him to get his hand dirty so early in the game. He needed something simple--something that wouldn't get him killed, or arrested. She fished for a bit longer, and then something caught her eye. She yanked out a folder.

Doctor Lucrecia Crescent

She opened it and scanned over what was written. This would be perfect for Vincent. A simple bodyguard gig. She remembered her first one of those. Pretty boring, not much action, she mostly sat around and poked around in the old mans house. He was a researcher of something with Mako. She didn't know, or cared to know, all she knew was that she had to keep him safe. Honestly, he didn't even need a bodyguard he was doing pretty fine on his own. She placed the file of Doctor Crescent next to Vincent's. The clock flashed at her that it was 11:04 PM. Time for bed. She rose from her desk and clicked off the lamp and walked back to the elevator. She pushed the button for the ground floor. The doors closed and the ding returned and down she went.

9:55 AM. Zale was rushing into the Shin-Ra building, what a hypocrite! She said she hated it when people were late, and look at her. Almost thirty minutes late! She gave a good shove to someone and landed in the elevator just as it was closing. She hit the glowing button for the 48th floor and felt the elevator start up. She adjusted her tie, pulled her hair back, best she could. Opened a compact and splashed on some eye shadow, so she didn't look to dead. Shoving the compact into her bag, the doors opened. And she saw Vincent, sitting in the chair in front of her desk, looking down at his watch. She all of a sudden got the urge to push the ground floor button. But she stepped out of the elevator and walked over to her desk.  
"Mr. Valentine." She said, sitting down.  
"Good morning." He greeted, smiling.

She looked up, from the two files she'd left on her desk before she left the night before. What pretty brown eyes he had. He was indeed a very gorgeous man. She blinked her eyes and looked back down at the files.  
"Yes, good morning. Now this is your first assignment." She picked up the folder and handed it to him. "You'll be leaving to meet her at one o'clock today." Zale watched him open the file and read over things. "You can do this job, can't you?" She asked, raising an eyebrow somewhat at him.  
"Yes, ma'am I can." He said, standing.  
"I expect a report of things in one week. And then every week afterwards."  
She saw Vincent look up at her.  
"Alright."

Zale watched how he paused, he was looking at her eyes. They were an odd color and oddly bright, she was used to people staring at them by now.  
"You can leave." She said, slipping his file into her top desk drawer. He nodded and left to the elevator. Hearing the doors close, she sighed. Zale knew she shouldn't have been so professional with him, he was being kind and had a good attitude, and was smiling at her. And she--shot all of that to Hell. It's not that she wasn't in a good mood, it was that she didn't want to give away the fact that she--thought he was handsome. She refused to let Reno be right about the fact of her liking him so quickly. That was just B.S. Speaking of Reno…she picked up her phone and dialed.  
"Reno here."  
"Hey you. What're you up to?"  
"Nothing much. You?"  
"Just gave Vincent his first assignment." She laughed into the phone and spun around some in her chair.  
"That must have been fun. I saw you came in really late today."  
"Oh, hush up, not like you've never been late." Zale heard him laugh.  
"Hey, for lunch me and Rude are going to a restaurant, want to come?"  
"Sure. What time?"  
"11:30. You know our break time?" He said, with a kind of 'duh' in his voice.  
"Give me a break, Reno. I was up most of the night still working. I'm so tired right now I could sleep on my desk."

Another laugh. Zale rolled her eyes.  
"Well, just meet us on the ground floor at 11:25 okay?"  
"Will do. Bye." She hung up. Time to get to work. And so she started to mull over reports from the other underlings that were in her power. It was nice being higher up, she didn't have to run around and do silly assassination assignments.

11:29.  
"Goddamn it." Zale hissed. She tapped her foot. She was on the ground floor and had been waiting since 11:25, just like Reno had said to do. Where the hell was he and Rude? 11:31. She was getting ready to leave. But then she saw someone coming down the stairs. She looked up. It wasn't Reno or Rude, but Vincent. He was rushing frantically down them. He ran right up to her.  
"Ms. Kilsu. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to be late." He said.  
"What?" She asked, blinking. Her eyes wandered back up the stairs and she saw Reno and Rude, laughing. Those bastards. They set this all up. She saw Reno give a shoving motion with his hands, to tell her to just go with it. When he did that she felt her heart rate pick up and she looked at Vincent, who looked puzzled at her, when she had said: "What?" Zale blinked. "Never mind, come on. I know a really good place to eat." She said, smiling. Really Zale didn't know any of the places to eat. She always brought her food, or had whatever they had at Shin-Ra.

After many turns and getting lost, and many, many apologizes to Vincent they arrived at a restaurant. They were seated and they ordered their food.  
"Um, Ms. Kilsu, may I ask you a question?"  
"Of course." She said.  
"Are you eyes naturally like that?" He said, gazing into them. Zale feeling a blush rise as his brown eyes looked into her lime green ones.  
"Yes, they are."  
"They're quite pretty."  
"Thank you."

Vincent smiled. Zale wondered if Reno had opened his big mouth and said something about her liking him to him.  
"Did--Reno...um say anything to you?" She asked, as the drinks arrived.  
"Just that you wanted to go to lunch with me." He smiled again. Zale felt a heat rise through her body, and her hands started to sweat. The way Vincent put it, it was like Reno has waved a big sign that said: SHE LIKES YOU! That flashed in neon blue, or something of the sort.

As they ate, Zale found it oddly silent. She didn't know what to say to him, and obviously he didn't know how to speak to a superior. She sighed some. He looked tense, and somewhat worried. Zale thought that she had given him a bad impression of her. Like she was always uptight and serious about everything, making him think he needed to be the same way--even about a lunch date. Date? Had she really just thought that? No. Must have been a slip up or something.  
"Mr. Valentine." She finally spoke. "You can talk to me, you know. I don't bite."  
He looked up and laughed some.  
"Well," He started. "how long have you been working at Shin-Ra?"  
"Long time. Started out as underling, like you. Built my way up pretty quickly. I got sick of silly assignments, so I did as many as I could--and before I knew it, I had good assignments and better pay." She laughed. "I think you should do the same. You'll find it's not fun being at the bottom of the pile."  
"Already discovered that." He said, sipping his drink. "Some of the higher Turks don't particularly like us newbie's."  
"Ah. I can only imagine. Some of them are pretty mean. However, Reno, Rude and myself aren't that bad. At least I hope you don't think so." Her eyes wandered to his.  
"Oh no." He said, nervously. He really thought she was kind of to serious, well, with the way she had treated him that morning.

12:45.

They had finished eating and were just sitting at the table discussing things. Zale glanced at her watch.  
"We should get back to Shin-Ra. I've over done my break, and you have to leave to meet Doctor Crescent in fifteen minutes." She said standing. She threw some gil on the table.  
"No, I insist." Vincent said, going to open his wallet.  
"I already paid." She smiled and started to leave. Vincent looked at her back as she started to walk away. He smiled some, maybe he was wrong--she wasn't that bad. He caught up with her.

Zale saw Vincent off on his trip to meet the doctor. She gave a kind wave and smile and then the door closed and the van drove off. She walked back into the Shin-Ra building, now determined to hurt Reno--and possibly Rude. She went to the 48th floor, hoping they were at their own desks. And sure enough as soon as the doors of the elevator opened, she saw them.  
"You two are so dead." She said, walking over. Reno raised his hands in defensive way, and Rude took a step back, since he was reading something over Reno's shoulder.  
"What?" Reno asked.  
"Setting me up with Vincent like that!" She yelled, slamming her hand on the desk.  
"What? He looked happy about it!"

Zale's expression turned from angry to smiling.  
"He did?"

Reno nodded.  
"Yes! Now don't hit me." He said, lowering his arms.  
"I'm not going to hit you." She said, now extremely happy.  
"He was really happy?"

He glanced at her.  
"Yes, for the second time. And apparently you're really happy about him being really happy." He blinked. Zale pulled on his ponytail.  
"Hush." She walked back over to her desk, giggling some.

However, as the weeks and months went by that Vincent was working for Doctor Crescent. He seemed to stop being around her. No more lunches. Sometimes he wasn't even at meetings. Zale was beginning never to see him. Sure, the reports came in, but they were always in when she wasn't at her desk to accept them. But he always made sure she got them, buy leaving them in her chair. Zale was beginning to regret giving him that as his first assignment…

One night, it was very late, probably about 3:30 AM. She was the only one left in the Shin-Ra building, except for the security guards. The elevator dinged, which startled her. She looked up and saw the doors slid open. Vincent walked in. Her face lit up. It had been two months since she'd seen him.  
"Mr. Valentine." Zale spoke, trying to keep her professionalism about herself.  
"Oh, Ms. Kilsu. I'm surprised to see you here so late."  
"Last minute paper work." She smiled.  
"Well, I have one more for you then." He handed her his report and turned to leave. Zale bit her tongue, she couldn't tell him to stop. He was on an assignment. But she wanted to talk with him. The elevator doors opened. She looked up and over at him. He was stepping in.  
"Mr. Val--" They closed. Zale sighed and hit her desk, with her fists. Why hadn't she said something? She sighed and looked at the report. Same old, same old. She filed it with the others and set her pen down. It was time to go home. Little did Zale know--that, that was the last encounter she was going to have with Vincent for thirty long years.


	2. The Meeting: An Old Face to a New Face

Okay, this chapter is a bit shorter. lol I want to try to stretch this thing out. All together the story is only 22 pages. lol And this is early because I'll be house sitting for a friend, and won't be online with this computer...so...early chapter! Enjoy!

**Chapter 2: The Meeting: An Old Face to a New Face**

**Thirty Years Later**

Zale had since left the Turks about twenty years ago. She had a small home in Midgar, and lived alone. She had waited ten years for Vincent to walk through those elevator doors again, and never did he. And the reports stopped. She couldn't contact him, and neither could anyone else. Everyone thought he must have died. It still devastated her to believe that. She rarely talked to Reno and Rude anymore. They were always out and about. Last time she'd seen them, they looked as if they hadn't aged one itty bitty bit. Then again, she heard Shin-Ra had been working on plenty of things with Mako--so it was always a possibility, but probably not. She on the other hand looked her age--well some what. She was 49. Some wrinkles here and there, but she had kept herself in shape since leaving the Turks. A few gray strands in her black hair, but not many. She looked at her TV. The news was on. She changed the channel. Sometimes Zale found herself wondering what really happened to Vincent. Was it some sort of accident? Was it intentional? She didn't know, and she didn't have the clout anymore to find out. She sighed and shut the TV off. Zale all of a sudden had a feeling for a drink. She grabbed her purse and left her house. The Seventh Heaven bar was just a block or two away.

Opening the bar door, she saw no one was at the bar. She blinked. It hadn't said they were closed.  
"Hello?" She called.  
"Oh, sorry!" Tifa popped up from under the bar. "Just fixing something. How can I help you Zale?"  
Yes, she was a frequent.  
"Just the usual." She smiled and sat on the stool. The bar had been closed for awhile and had just reopened a few nights ago. "So, did you and Barret go on a vacation or something?" She asked. Zale watched Tifa pause and then smile.  
"You could say."  
"Have fun?"  
Tifa laughed.  
"Yeah. Met some new friends. It was great." She said pouring her a drink and setting it down in front of her.  
"Tifa!" Zale heard in an unfamiliar voice. She looked toward the staircase, and saw two blonde men walk down, with Barret.  
"Yeah?" Tifa asked, walking over. And they started to whisper. Apparently something was wrong. Zale had learned to read faces pretty well while in the Turks. She didn't ask anything though, but heard Barret call: "Vincent! Get down here!" She choked on her drink some, and coughed. Vincent? Zale chuckled at herself some. Every time she heard that name it gave her some sort of flicker that it might be him. But usually it was someone that didn't resemble him in the least bit. She went back to her drink after a few good coughs. Zale heard the footsteps coming down the stairs. She was compelled to look, but didn't. She kept getting her hopes up and then they were shot down. She didn't know how much more of that she could take, specially in her old age. Well…she thought she was old.  
"What is it?" She heard in a deep voice. That must have been Vincent. It sounded familiar--but it was to cold to be the Vincent's she remembered. There was more whispering and then she felt a hand on her.  
"Hey, Zale…" Tifa started.  
"Yes?"  
"Sorry, but we have to close up."  
"Oh, I understand." She smiled and got up. "Perhaps I'll come by tomorrow?" Tifa looked at her feet.  
"Close up for awhile."  
"I see. Alright then." She nodded her head. Taking one last sip of her drink she set the glass back down and started toward the door. But she felt eyes on her. She stopped, with her hand on the door and looked. Crimson eyes were staring at her from over by the staircase. That was Vincent, hmm? Her heart sank some. It looked like him, alright. But it wasn't him. Her Vincent had brown eyes, and a kind voice, and never dressed like that. She pushed the door open and left.

"That woman." Vincent said, taking a step away from the stairs.  
"You know her?" Barret asked.  
"Zale--Zale Kilsu." He said, looking at them.  
"How do you know her?" Tifa asked.  
"When--" He paused, but continued. "When I was a Turk--she was my superior. She gave me the assignment--the one I met Lucrecia through." He explained, still eying the door.  
"Why didn't you stop her?"  
"She doesn't remember me. She looked right at me and left." He said, sitting down.  
"Well, Vincent--you have probably changed from what she remembers." Tifa said.  
"Everyone thinks I'm dead. What's the point? I don't want to drag her into this anyway. I would have to explain to much to her. And then she would feel it was her fault that I ended up this way." He said, looking back towards the door. Tifa paused and then, clapped her hands together.  
"Why don't you go see her, without her seeing you? You can do that. I mean you're good at lurking around." She blinked, not sure if that was a kind way to put it. He stood.  
"That is an idea. And I haven't seen her in a long time. I wonder if she's still a Turk…" And on that note he slipped out of the bar.

Zale was walking down the street. She came to her home and unlocked the door and walked in. She flipped on the light and flopped on her couch. In a frame on her table was that picture of Vincent from his file, from oh so long ago. Zale smiled at it. She still liked him--after thirty years.  
"Well, wherever you are, I hope you're having more fun than I am." She said, tilting the photograph toward her. She stood up from her chair and started to close up, she wanted to go to sleep. She walked over to her window. Her heart jumped into her throat. She felt like she was being watched. Feeling her old Turk training kick in, she walked to her closet quickly and got her gun. Zale ran back to the window and shut it. She walked upstairs into her room and saw one of her windows had been left open. She always did that, to get the cool air in. Zale slammed it shut and looked around her room. Gun at the ready. Zale paused and heard a knocking on her bedroom door.  
"Who's there!" She yelled, pointing the gun at the door. She hadn't been in a situation like this since she was nineteen. The bedroom door squeaked open, but all she saw was darkness. "I said, who's there?" She came closer. As Zale made it to the door, she reached out and flipped on the hallway light. Nothing. She knew she had heard someone knock on her door. Zale sighed and let her gun drop to her side.  
"Still a Turk, I see." She heard. She whirled around, and that weird man she'd seen from the bar was standing there.  
"What the hell are you doing in my house? And how do you know I'm a Turk!" She yelled, pointing her gun at him.  
He pulled down the cloak under his chin.  
"Ms. Kilsu." He said. She blinked.  
"How do you know who I am?" She asked.


	3. Birthday

OMG. I am so SORRY. I had my concert and just forgot about everything. So sorry! But here's the next chapter and I promise it'll start being updated normally again!

**Chapter 3: Birthday**

Vincent took a step back.  
"Ah, perhaps it's better that you don't know." She saw something in his other hand.  
"Show me what's in your hand, slowly." She said, still pointing the gun at him.

Slowly, just as she had instructed, he pulled the frame out and turned it around toward her. The gun hit the floor and she stared.  
"Y-you're not." She said, feeling the tears gather in her eyes. "You can't be. He died a long time ago--he's dead." She whispered, as the tears fell.  
Vincent didn't say anything. He watched her cry. He didn't know what to do. It was like, since he'd become--what he was, all sense of kindness was gone. "The Vincent I knew…was,…was different." She sobbed. "I should have said something to him. I should have! But I-I didn't know that'd I'd never see him again!"

Vincent drew in a breath, he knew what she was talking about. The day he had turned in his last report to her. She heard him call to him. But the doors had shut and he didn't go back up to the 48th floor.  
"How was he different?" He finally asked. She looked up, a smile on her face.  
"He, he was always so nice, and always had a smile on his face. Even--when I tried to hide everything from him, he still managed to give me a smile and a good morning. How do you know him?" Zale asked, wiping her eyes.  
He shook his head.  
"I didn't. The picture just looked familiar." He lied. It was better that she thought he was dead. He didn't want to crush her view of him, that she had engraved in her mind. What he had become was the opposite of what he had been. It would only devastate her more. Zale nodded.  
"Oh." She sniffled.  
Vincent walked to her and handed her the picture.  
"Take good care of it." He whispered.  
"I have for the last thirty years…." She whispered. He walked back to the window and opened it. Zale watched him leave, he even closed the window after he was out.

Zale set the picture on her nightstand and sat on her bed. Who was that stranger? She had heard Barret call him Vincent--but it had to have just be a coincidence--her Vincent was dead and had been for a very long time. She laid down, looking at the picture.  
"Vincent. Why did I have to give you that assignment? Why? If I wouldn't have--perhaps you would be here with me." Tears slid out of the corner of her eyes and ran over her nose onto the other side of her face and then onto the pillow.

Vincent sat outside her window. He had left it cracked open, and could hear her.  
"Be there with her?" He questioned in a whisper. Had she liked him? He peered back into the window. She was laying there wiping at her eyes. If she did, she did a good job of hiding it from him. But look at him. The way he was. Zale would never--ever accept what he'd become. No one would. He looked down at his gauntlet. "Nothing but a monster." He said, standing. "Good-bye Zale. Even though you think I'm dead." He leapt onto her roof and ran down it, leaping onto another and so on, until he reached the Seventh Heaven Bar.

"How did it go?" Was the first thing he heard.  
"Alright." He said looking at Tifa. "I suppose. She cried a lot…she told me a lot of things too."  
"Did you tell her it was you?"  
"No. The way she had viewed me before was much better than what she would see now."  
"Poor woman. Now that I think about it, the first couple of times she came in here, we talked about you." She said, nodding. "She told me all kinds of things. But the one story she seemed to always repeat to anyone that listened, was the lunch story."

Vincent's red eyes maneuvered over to her, and he blinked. He remembered that. How? He didn't know. He later found out it was all just a set up--and started to avoid Zale, thinking it was all just a joke on him. But he was wrong. It hadn't been. She had liked him. It had been a set up for the both of them. Vincent sighed. He couldn't return her love for him…or her liking him…or whatever it was, he couldn't return it. He was in love with someone else. He sat on a stool, and rested his arms on the bar.  
"Anyway." Vincent said. "Where do we need to head next?" He asked, trying to change the subject, away from his past, and love life.  
Tifa looked at him.  
"Clever Vincent, but that won't work." She sat down next to him. "We know that you love Lucrecia."

Vincent looked away, he hated it when people came right out and said it to his face. "But…" Tifa stopped, trying to choose her words carefully. "she's gone." She cringed some, that wasn't a very smart way of putting it. Vincent got up and walked up stairs.  
"Good going, Tifa." Cloud said, chuckling some.  
"Ugh, I admit, not my best work."  
"And anyway," Barret started. "Zale has aged. Vincent hasn't. She's thirty years older than him now."  
Tifa bit her lip.  
"That is true. But--" She looked at Cloud.  
"Oh no. We're not getting into that, no way, no how."  
"It's a great idea though!" She cried.  
"No, it isn't. We're not going to go research why Vincent hasn't aged."  
"But, if we did…they could be together!"  
"Tifa…get a grip. Vincent has to choose when to move on from Lucrecia, you can't make him, just because some old lady is in love with him." Cloud said, nodding. Tifa glared.  
"But when he DID get over her, she would STILL BE THERE for him."  
"No, Tifa. We're not meddling with that."

Vincent was at the top the stairs. He had heard everything. They were so desperate to see him happy. Did he really look so lonely and miserable to everyone? At least Cloud didn't jump off into the party and decide to go along with Tifa's idea. They had more important things to attend to anyway--mainly, the planet. He walked to an empty room and sat on the bed. Zale. It had been so long since he'd seen her. Those bright lime green eyes…they'd dulled over the years. Her once solid black hair, was streaked with gray. If he would have never met Lucrecia…could he had been happy? Could he have been living in that nice little home she was in? Married. Kids. Things that he once actually wanted. And now, look at him. They were at the bottom--if even on his list of things to do. He would have been 57 years old. Well, he was 57, but he still looked like 27. He paused in thought. Zale was only 19 when he met her, back at Shin-Ra? She was as old as Tseng…but no where near the rank he had. There was an eight year age difference between Zale and himself. And now--it was thirty-eight years. He smiled into his hand. He recalled, one night when he was at the building, and some radicals or something of the sort had bothered them…plenty of gun fire. She had his back every step of the way. He wondered if she still had a scar on her leg from where the bullet hit her. Vincent laughed a bit to himself. He had taken a nasty tumble down the stairs, but if she wouldn't have pushed him…he wouldn't have been alive. And--all along he thought she was just doing her job. So many memories. So many things lost. And…nothing gained. Vincent laid down, and stared up at the ceiling. Not one thing gained. Well, that wasn't all true, necessarily…he had fallen in love and been blind to a love that was right in front of him. And now. Now. It was all to late to recover. He rolled over. It was time to stop thinking about the past. At least the part that included Zale. He didn't want to start regretting things…like she apparently did. That was a lie. He already regretted plenty. There was no use looking back on what could have happened…if he wouldn't have had that assignment…and instead fallen in love with Zale. No use. He closed his eyes. It had been a long ride back to Midgar, and he was looking forward to a little rest.

When morning arrived, Vincent was already up. He was sitting downstairs on a couch, gazing out the window. He found himself doing that quite often now. He had missed a lot in the thirty years, and was somewhat eager to catch up.  
"Morning Vincent." Tifa called.  
He didn't answer, just gave a nod. Tifa sat down across from him. "Hey, what'cha thinking about?"  
"Things." He stated.  
"Want to help me do something, since the others are still asleep?" She asked.  
"What?"  
She dangled a paper in face.  
"Pick this up for me, so we can have a good breakfast before we set out."  
How did he know this was going to include shopping? He sighed but took the paper.  
"Fine." He rose, and left the bar. It wasn't like he had anything better to do anyway, so why not?

Entering the store, he let out a sigh. Now he didn't really want to do this. But soon he was half way done. Only things left on the list were: Eggs, butter, orange juice, and muffin mix. Muffin Mix? What the hell kind of huge breakfast was she going to make? He already had bacon, potatoes, sausage and bread! He sighed and turned down an aisle to get the bread and saw Zale. She was picking up a loaf and looking at it, pushing down on it some. He stayed at the edge of aisle. Zale tossed it into her cart and turned around. She looked right at him. Vincent froze. She walked by. Not giving him a second glance. He felt his heart relax. The last thing he needed was for her to start asking questions about who he was. He turned around to leave, but saw her stop and turn.  
"Can I ask you something?" She was looking at her feet and she asked in a whisper.  
"If you want." He responded.  
"Who are you--really?" Her eyes met his.  
"Someone that's not important to you." He said.  
Zale nodded.  
"I just wanted to see how you would answer."

Vincent looked at her, he could see her eyes starting to well up with tears. He was being cruel. She--she missed him so much. She only wanted to know. The grocery store was no where to tell her though. That would create a huge scene.  
"Tonight, meet me out behind the Seventh Heaven Bar, and you'll find out." And he left.

And so that's just what Zale did. As soon as the sun set, she walked to the Seventh Heaven Bar and behind it. Vincent stood there, leaning against the building.  
"I'm here." She whispered. He looked over.  
"Late." He said. Zale was taken aback by that.  
"I started walking when the sun was set."  
"I thought you didn't like it when people are late, but you don't seem to mind being late yourself."  
How did he know that? She didn't say anything.  
"You said you--" He cut her off.  
"I see that didn't tell you anything." He turned away somewhat. "What do I need to do?" He asked.  
"What are you talking about?" Zale asked.  
"Do I need to smile and wave, and say a good morning to you?"  
Zale cringed some, the way he sounded…was as if her memories of Vincent were a joke.  
"Don't you speak that way about that." She said. He looked at her. "My memories of him are very dear to me. You have no right to go and make a mockery of them. You're not him. You never could be."  
"But I am." He said.  
Zale felt her heart stop when he said those words. She swallowed. She had to ask a question--something that only her Vincent would know. But what could she ask? Blood type…but he could get lucky on that one, there's only so many to guess. Then she smiled.  
"When's his birthday then?"  
She saw a small smirk play on his lips.  
"October 13th."  
Zale stared. Right on the money. There was no way he could have just pulled that out the sky. It was him.


	4. Goodbye & Off to Mideel

Feel free to hate me. Lol I know it's been a year—about? I don't even know if anyone is still reading this—I hope they are though.

**Chapter 4: Goodbye & Off to Mideel**

"V-Vincent." She choked out, feeling her throat tense as she tried to keep herself from crying.  
"Oh. I thought it was Mr. Valentine?"  
"Not anymore." She said, wiping at her eyes. "W-why didn't you tell me, last night?" Zale asked, coming up to him.  
"At first I didn't want you to know." He said. "I didn't want to complicate th---" He froze. Her hands were on his face. They were damp from her tears.  
"Vincent. Do you know how long I thought you were dead?" She hugged him, tightly. The hug was so warm and felt so natural and right, she was sobbing into his chest, as she squeezed his body.  
"Zale…don't cry." He said, placing a hand on her head. She looked up at him.  
"Vincent. What happened to you? You used to be so kind hearted."

Vincent drew in a breath and looked above her head, out into the alley.  
"Things have changed."  
"I can tell, but why so much? How do you look so young? Why are your brown eyes gone?"

He didn't say anything.  
"I can't tell you." He said. The only reason Vincent wouldn't tell her, is because he knew she would blame herself and he didn't want that. "Perhaps someday I will, but not now." He whispered. He felt Zale put her face back into his chest, her arms never loosened around his body. She didn't care how strongly she was coming on. She hadn't seen him for thirty years, it was okay to just stay there and hold him…wasn't it? After awhile of waiting, she finally felt his arms come around her.  
"I missed you." She whispered into the cloak. Vincent smiled some. That was nice to hear. She still cared for him even after all this time. He felt her hands reach into his hair. "It's gotten really long." She smiled.  
"Do you not like it?" He asked.  
"No, I do." Zale pulled away for a second and looked into his eyes. "I really like your eyes too. They're different."  
"Like yours."

He saw Zale blush, and look down.  
"They're nothing compared to yours."

Was she flirting with him? By damned she was. Didn't take her to long. But--he liked it.  
"Zale--" He started.  
"Yes?" She looked back up at him.  
"What happened to yours?"  
"What?" Zale looked confused.  
"They're not bright anymore."  
"Oh--" She cast her eyes on her shoes. "you've noticed too…"

Was that a bad thing to say? Vincent thought, and then decided it was. He mentally kicked himself. "I don't know why…but one day they just dulled. Probably because I'm an old lady!" She laughed. "And they don't need to look nice for anyone anymore!" She tried to keep laughing, but he could hear the fact that she wanted to cry in her voice.  
"Zale…"

She looked up, tears were streaming from eyes, even though she was laughing. He wanted to say something to make her stop crying. He pulled every last emotion he could hunt into his next sentence.  
"There's someone out there for them to shine for." That surprised him. He didn't know he could say something so kind. Zale's eyes widened and she hugged him again.  
"That's the Vincent I remember. Always ready with a kind word."

Maybe she was right. Maybe his old ways weren't completely dead. He saw her rub both her eyes, and look up at him. And he let out a small gasp. They were bright. The way they had been when she was younger. They shined and showed a bright hope behind them. Was it him? For him? Her eyes didn't waver from his. It was. How? Did she believe--that….he could feel that way? She must have. It flattered him greatly. He put a hand on her face, and let her see him smile.  
"Come on inside."  
She nodded, and followed him inside the bar.

Vincent motioned to a table for her to sit at. She did, and he disappeared for a moment, and returned with two drinks. He set one down in front of her.  
"Thank you." She whispered. He gave a nod and looked at her. "It's been so long." Another whisper. "I'm so sorry--"  
"For what?" He asked.  
"…that assignment."

Vincent's crimson eyes widened. Did she make a guess about Lucrecia?  
"What about it?" He asked.  
"It kept you away fr--" She stopped and looked down into her drink. It kept him away from her. That's what she wanted to say. Zale couldn't finish her sentence.  
"It's not your fault, Zale. It was just a matter of fate." He said, drinking. Zale looked up at him. It was her fault. She reached out and touched his hand.  
"It's amazing how you just managed to show up today. I've been waiting for so long."

Had she really? Vincent thought. "I left the Turks twenty years ago. It came to the point I--" Her eyes wandered the bar. "couldn't do my job any longer. Everyone said I blamed myself. And I did. Everyone tried to tell me there was nothing I could have done…about your supposed death. But, I thought differently. I waited ten years…and every time I heard the elevator do that annoying ding, I looked up from my desk. I stayed till 4:30 in the morning sometimes. I just hoped you would walk back in. But it never happened."

Vincent sat quietly listening. No one had ever said such--touching things to him. "And so one day, I turned in my resignation papers. I know Reno and Rude were sad to see me go, but I couldn't handle it any longer. I was on medication for awhile too. The stress from being a Turk, the blame I put on myself…it almost drove me insane." Her voice had dropped to a whisper.

She had gone through all of that in hopes to see him again? That was ridiculous! Why would someone subject themselves to THAT? Vincent's thoughts were interrupted as she continued. "Vincent, I'm 49. Just turned it, in May. I've waited thirty years to tell you something…"  
"What?" He asked, knowing what it was. She looked up at him, her grip on his hand tightening some.  
"I…love you." She said, and he felt her hand shake as the words came out. Vincent wished she hadn't said it. All he could do was turn her down. That hope she had in her eyes. He could tell right now, she was wishing with everything she had that he would say the same thing back.  
"I'm sorry." He started. Zale's hand came off of his all of a sudden, already knowing she had been rejected. He could hear it in her voice, how she struggled not to break down as she spoke:  
"It's okay." And she stood up. "It was nice seeing you again." The tears were making it hard for her to see, but she wouldn't let one fall. That would wait for home, where she could be alone. Zale made her way to the door and walked out. Her heart broken. She had wasted so much of her life loving him… How it hurt--almost unbearable. And almost like a blessing, it started to rain, allowing her to cry. And she did. Zale walked home in the pouring rain, sobbing.

When she got to her bedroom, she curled up on the floor next to her door, and buried her face in her hands. Water dripping off of her everywhere. Nothing had ever hurt her so badly. No matter how many times in the past she'd been shot, stabbed or almost blown up…no…nothing hurt worse than being turned down by the one you love.

Vincent sat at the table still, quietly, staring out the window. Something throbbed in him. It hurt somewhat. He looked away from the pouring rain outside. He had been honest with her, but to see her like that…to break someone's heart…why did it hurt more when you had to break someone's heart, than when yours was broken? He knew how terrible she felt. Vincent had been through it. He didn't cry about it the way she did, but he knew how she must have been aching inside after hearing his words. A hand came to his shoulder.  
"Time to leave." It was Cid. Vincent nodded and rose. He wanted to tell Zale good-bye this time…to let her know he would be fine and that he wasn't going away for another thirty years, but he didn't request any of them to go tell her. He kept it to himself. Buried amongst the other wishes he had.

**A Few Months Later**

AVALANCHE, as they were called had returned to the bar. Sephiroth was defeated. The planet was safe. Tifa had reopened the bar in good spirits, and had a extremely good opening night. Vincent sat in the back, he scanned everyone. Tifa had said Zale was a frequent…but tonight he didn't see her amongst everyone. Finishing his drink, he left the bar, and walked to her home. The lights were off. That was strange. It was only 9:30. He knocked on the door. Nothing. He heard a door from across the way open.  
"Hey!" He turned around. "The lady that lived there moved about a month and a half ago."

She had moved? Why?  
"Do you know where she went?"  
"No, sorry. She didn't say. Just one day left. She had a suitcase in hand and that was it."

Vincent looked back at the door. He waited for the person to retreat back into their home, and he easily forced the door open, and walked in. He turned on a light. Everything was still there. He walked upstairs. Her bed, TV…still there. His eyes were drawn to the nightstand. A frame sat there, facing the bed. Vincent walked over and turned it around. He bit his lip. His intuition had been right. He lay the frame face down. Moved out? No, more like moved on. Vincent sat on her bed, and heard a crackling noise from under him. He reached under where he sat and pulled out a paper.

_Vincent,_

_If you ever return and decide to come here--I hope this letter is here for you. I have tried very hard to move on. It just wasn't working. I went back to the bar. I saw that you had left, once again. I wanted to say goodbye. Apparently, we were just never meant to spend time together--in any way. Know this, you'll always be with me wherever I am. And I suppose, I have to leave you a goodbye in a letter, so Vincent, goodbye. I hope you live a long and happy life._

_- Zale_

Vincent set the letter back on the bed. What had he done? He--didn't go back. It was the same mistake he had made so long ago. He didn't go back. Rising from the bed, he took the frame. He knew if he ever saw her again by some small chance, she would want it back. At least--he hoped she would. He snatched the letter up and slipped it into a pocket in his pants and left her house.

Back at the bar, he sat in a room thinking. Wondering where she could have went. What she could be doing. Nothing came to his mind. She was to old to return to the life of a Turk. So that was out. If he just knew the city or town she had left to, it would make it all the easier… The door creaked opened.  
"Hey, Vincent. You got mail." Tifa said, twirling a postcard in between her fingers. He looked up, puzzled at the fact he would have mail. She handed it to him and left the room. He flipped it over, but it was blank.  
"What the?" He said and turned it back over to the picture. Mideel. He didn't know anyone in--Zale. She was in Mideel. Why had she sent him this, if she was so intent on getting over him? Vincent shook his head. There was only one explanation. She missed him again. She wanted to see him. He got up and walked downstairs. He looked at everyone, still enjoying the opening night. It was around 11:38 now. He slipped out of the bar. He had to find the fastest way to Mideel.


End file.
